The solution to rabies outbreaks, the overpopulation of dogs and cats, strays, cruelty to and neglect of pets is not animal shelters. It is responsible pet ownership.

Humans must be discouraged from, even penalized for, neglecting and abandoning pets. Puppies and kittens are very cute so that humans unthinkingly buy or adopt them. The trouble is puppies and kittens grow up to become adult dogs and cats that are no longer cute. Getting tired of and bored with them, humans find that caring for them properly is both costly and difficult. To be healthy, cats and dogs have to be fed the right food, not just leftovers; when they are sick, they have to be taken to the veterinarian for treatment and given medications regularly after being taken home—all of which cost money.

So irresponsible humans, when the novelty of having a pet wears off, neglect them and even abandon them. These abandoned pets become strays and multiply quickly, thus increasing the stray population.

You will be surprised how quickly they multiply. A female cat, or queen, for instance, can give birth to a litter of four to six kittens every four months; the kittens grow into adult cats within a few months. Each of the female cats give birth to their own litters, which, in turn give birth to more kittens, and so on. The tomcats keep impregnating all the females within reach. An unspayed queen cat can, according to conservative estimates, multiply into 49,000 cats in 10 years. Multiply that by the number of stray queens and you can see how the cat population can explode if something is not done.

Even if a queen is not a stray, if not spayed, she will have a litter in her human’s home even if there is no tomcat in the house. Stray tomcats are very good at sniffing females in heat; likewise, queens in heat will escape to seek a mate then go home and give birth weeks later.

When that happens more than once, their humans, nine out of 10, will order the house help to abandon the kittens on a sidewalk or vacant lot. I have seen kittens and puppies thrown away—inside tightly-tied plastic bags so they would suffocate to death—in our neighborhood where supposedly educated humans live.

With dogs it is a little different. When a dog gives birth to a litter, the puppies are so cute that a visitor will ask for one. The owner is only too glad to give them away. In fact, they offer the puppies to friends. Some are sold in pet stores or on sidewalks. A passing human sees the cute puppies and buys one for his wife or child. They enjoy the puppy for a while, but when the puppy becomes an adult and is no longer cute, the humans get bored with it. Worse, if it is a bitch, she gives birth to her own litter and the rigmarole is repeated.

There should also be birth control among dogs and cats. But humans sometimes find spaying or neutering their dogs costly. So the dogs keep multiplying and when their humans cannot find other humans to adopt them, they throw them away. These become strays and, like the cats, they multiply. They also spread rabies.

Having animal shelters to take them will not solve the problem. In our country, there are only a handful of animal shelters and they are hard pressed for funding. If these shelters run by private citizens had not put policies or limits in place, irresponsible pet owners would take advantage of them and allow their pets to multiply, thinking that they could just leave the unwanted pets with these shelters. The common practice now is to dump animals in the streets.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Rabies Act does not allow dogs in the streets and states that strays should be collected by the local government units—which should have dog pounds, for which the euphemism is “shelter.” The fact is, in many LGUs, such facilities are focused on getting dogs off the streets and not on promoting the welfare of dogs.

But, really, what can the LGUs do with all those unwanted pets?

Mandaluyong, Pasig and Cainta, profess to have “no kill” animal pounds. But many pound volunteers have already seen that “no kill” simply translated into “slow kill.” While the animals are not injected with the euthanasia drug—which is still not registered in the Philippines and there is even a supply shortage of it in the local black market—the unclaimed animals are left to die because of lack of veterinary care and proper quarantine procedures, and because their nutritional requirements are not met. The pounds cannot refuse requests from taxpayers to collect dogs in the streets; so despite the fact that the pounds are full, the dogcatchers continue to cram the dogs in crowded cages. Eventually, the dogs die of disease. Those who are lucky enough to stay alive are kept in cages all day, which is also cruel. Very few families are willing to adopt them.

The answer is to keep the dogs and cats from multiplying. So the government animal “shelters” or pounds should also launch low-cost spay and neuter programs for pet owners and likewise, spay-neuter the adopted strays.

This is already being done in other countries, which also penalizes humans who abandon their pets. I was told that there is this new provision penalizing pet abandonment under the amended Animal Welfare Act.

But even that may not be enough. Dog fighting continues and the slaughter of dogs for “pulutan” by drunkards makes for a prosperous “industry” because the laws are not implemented strictly. When a dog trafficker is caught taking a jeepload of dogs to Baguio to be slaughtered and eaten, he is not sent to prison but merely made to pay a fine. So he goes back to his lucrative business. The law has to be strengthened, and the authorities should be pressured into implementing it to the letter.

Also, humans should be taught to be responsible pet owners. Pet owners should be given seminars on responsible pet ownership, which should be likewise taught in schools so the children can impart the knowledge to their parents. Only then will we be able to end cruelty to animals.

EDMOND, Okla., Oct. 12, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — An Edmond veterinarian is emphasizing the need for area pet owners to maintain their pets’ weight at a healthy level. According to Dr. Jennifer Bianchi of White Oaks Veterinary Clinic, pet obesity can cause a host of health problems and discomforts that can drastically reduce an animal’s quality of life, ranging from diabetes to an increased risk of cancer. “Fortunately, there are many things we can do to work with pet owners and recommend the right combination of food, exercise, and other veterinary care as needed to help their pets enjoy the longest and healthiest life possible,” said Dr. Bianchi.

Edmond veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Bianchi notes that more than half of all U.S. dogs and cats qualify as overweight or obese. The accumulation of extra pounds may occur for one or more of many possible reasons, she explains, from a sedentary lifestyle and unwise feeding habits to an undiagnosed health condition. “In most cases, however, obesity stems from too much food or the wrong kinds of foods for a pet’s particular stage of life, coupled with too little activity,” she said. According to Dr. Bianchi, puppies and kittens require more food than adult animals, and a senior pet requires less food than an adult, particularly if joint problems or other age-related conditions have reduced his activity level.

The veterinarian adds that the food itself must contain the correct nutritional balance to support a healthy weight. “Pets who are allowed to consume table scraps are at a higher risk for obesity because of the high levels of fats, sugar, and starch in human foods,” she warns.

Dr. Bianchi states that obesity can create the same disease risks in pets as it does in humans, with the same debilitating or even fatal results. She observes that obesity in animals is associated with higher rates of diabetes, heart and liver problems, high blood pressure, digestive problems, and even certain forms of cancer. Additionally, too much weight can stress the joints, causing premature joint wear, arthritis, and other painful conditions.

Dr. Bianchi recommends prevention as the best medicine for pet obesity. She advises area pet owners to bring their animals in for regularly scheduled wellness visits so the veterinary team can weigh him and determine whether he is carrying too much weight for his age and breed. “If we see possible cause for concern, we can recommend dietary, nutritional and lifestyle changes that can help,” she said, adding severely obese dogs may benefit from an oral medication called Slentrol if all other measures have failed to reduce their weight.

Avoiding Obesity in Pets Starts with the Owner

October 8 is National Pet Obesity Awareness Day, a day for owners to recognize the importance of keeping their pets at a healthy weight and fitness level.

Austin, TX (PRWEB) October 08, 2014

Today, October 8, is National Pet Obesity Awareness Day, a day for owners to recognize that one of the most important things they can do for their pet’s overall health is to keep them within a healthy weight range. An estimated 54% of dogs and cats in the U.S. are overweight or obese and thus at risk for the associated health risks. It’s important for pet owners to know that it’s up to them to prevent obesity as part of responsible pet ownership.

When a pet is overweight or obese, they’re at a higher risk for many health issues including respiratory compromise, diabetes, skin problems, heart disease and reduced lifespan. “Studies have shown that dogs that are kept at a healthy weight have a longer average lifespan than dogs that are overweight,” said Celeste Treadway, DVM, a member of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association who practices at Lakeline Animal Care in Austin, Texas. “More importantly, pets that are kept lean have improved activity levels and quality of life.”

Pets aren’t in charge of what goes into their food bowl. It’s up to pet owners to ensure that they’re feeding a nutritionally balanced and responsible diet. But avoiding obesity doesn’t just happen at mealtime. Owners should also ensure that their pets are engaging in physical activity so they stay fit and healthy. Some tips for battling the bulge in pets include:

Slow down the eating process by feeding a larger-sized kibble that pets chew rather than swallow quickly.

Owners should aim to take a brisk daily walk with their dog. As a bonus, you both reap the health benefits! Owners can give cats an opportunity for exercise by playing with a laser pointer or placing the cat food bowl on a higher-up surface so they will need to climb or jump to reach their meal (provided they don’t have arthritis).

Partner with your veterinarian. “Your family veterinarian can help you determine how much weight your pet needs to lose and assist you in developing a diet and exercise plan that will be effective, safe and fun for both you and your pet,” said Dr. Treadway.

As in all matters concerning your pet’s health, your veterinarian is your best ally to ensure a long and healthy life for your pet. While the subject can be uncomfortable, don’t be afraid to start the conversation about your pet’s weight with your veterinarian. For more information about pet obesity and its risks, visit http://www.texvetpets.org/article/obesity-puts-your-pet-at-risk.

About the Texas Veterinary Medical Association

Founded in 1903, the Texas Veterinary Medical Association is a professional association composed of more than 3,700 veterinarians committed to protecting public health, promoting high educational, ethical and moral standards within the veterinary profession and educating the public about animal health and its relationship to human health. For more information, call 512/452-4224 or visit http://www.tvma.org.

A dog or cat can bring out the best in a man if you allow it to. This usually happens because the dogs and cats give us unconditional love.

We have seen pets that remain loyal to their owners even if they are maltreated, un-groomed and poorly fed.

A pet’s devotion can actually change the way a man thinks and acts. I know of men who think they are tough guys incapable of tenderness, yet they bare a softer side the moment they talk (sometimes you even hear them do “baby talk”) to their cat or dog.

Many men who consider themselves as “dog people” have had an awakening of spirit after a kitten showed up in their home. There are families torn apart after the tragic loss of a loved one but have had their relationships mended over the love of a puppy.

“Ordinary” people have turned heroic to save animals in danger.

It is not enough to “own” a pet; it can be one truly rewarding experience of your life if you actually love it back.

I have seen pets acquired by humans just for showing off. The owners got them just to brag that they have the means to buy that special breed of cat or dog.

In many cases, the owner walks the pet just to show off but, in truth, it is left entirely in the care of the househelp. When the pet misbehaves, the human is at a loss and then the driver or nanny is called to pacify it (and successfully does so). It is the helpers who have formed the familial relationship with the dog or cat, instead of the owners (come to think of it, in some families they do this with children).

It’s pointless to acquire a pet if one will not interact with and care for it. If you are around it a lot, feed it, discipline and nurture it, you get to know your pet, and it, you. The bond is formed, just like how you should with your kids.

This is why pet owners who genuinely raise their pets refer to them as their children or “our other child.”

Long life

You may be right to believe that owning a dog or cat is a step toward having a long, meaningful life. But there are a few things you should consider before you acquire one or give one as gift.

It is a huge daily responsibility to keep a pet. Even if you owned one as a child, it does not follow that having one now will fit into your lifestyle. Do not buy a pet as status symbol or just because it looks cute in the store.

And please never (!) buy a pet as gift to someone who is not ready to own one. There are some men who have given dogs or cats as presents just to score points with a girl. They fail to recognize that some in her household could be allergic to or fearful of the animal. While the girl may be impressed, the pet’s presence could become a continuing point of animosity in the household.

Poor gift-giving guy actually gets negative points with the rest of the house.

If you choose to get a pet, you must assess your lifestyle, living situation and financial resources. There will be huge tasks when you have a living, breathing creature join your family.

You shall be responsible for your pet’s every need.

Veterinarian Karen Halligan suggests that “pets should be selected with the entire family in mind.”

This means considering everyone’s needs, expectations, fears and medical issues. Consider if the family will do well by caring for a new pet, or will the pet become a burden after the initial excitement wears off.

Remember that children will not always fulfill the promises they make about caring for the new pet. That job may fall on someone else who did not want it in the first place. Will having a relationship with this pet add to or subtract from any other relationships you may have, such as with a spouse, a girlfriend, children, close friends or even your job?

The bottom line is that owning a pet is good for you. Studies show that people who own cats and dogs live longer and healthier lives. So caring for a cat or dog, in the long run, may save you money—on health care costs.

Wrong reasons

But you must be in a position to take good care of it. Pet ownership is a privilege and huge responsibility. You must be committed to your dog or cat’s care emotionally and financially.

Take a good honest look at your reasons for wanting to raise your pet, as if it were your child.

The wrong reasons include feeling sorry for them, buying them because they look cute or buying a pet for a friend. Pets do not come with warranties. You cannot return them because things did not work right.

You do not have to be wealthy to keep your pet healthy but make sure your lifestyle and finances can afford looking after one.

A pet can make you smile when you are feeling tired. It can let you feel loved after an argument or a bad day.

You will have a long and happy owner-pet relationship if you make sure that you are getting that dog or cat for the right reasons.

Dr. Connie White Lawless, shown at left with her daughter Malina, cares for a variety of animals at Copley Pet Vet, located at 2777 Copley Road.

Photo courtesy of Copley Pet Vet

COPLEY — Copley Pet Vet is a two-year-old veterinary business located at 2777 Copley Road.

Owned by Dr. Connie White Lawless, Pet Vet offers services such as wellness and injury exams, vaccinations, emergency care, surgery, microchipping and nail trimming, and also sells dog and cat food and heartworm and flea and tick medications. In addition to clinic visits, she makes farm calls when necessary.

“I offer low stress handling in a caring and compassionate environment,” said Lawless.

Lawless said she strives to keep costs for pet owners as low as possible to ensure animals get the medical care they need.

In addition to treating dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, birds and other animals, Lawless said she takes the time to educate pet owners about their animals.

She also offers free “happy” visits for dogs that are fearful about coming into a clinic. Lawless explained these visits allow owners to bring their pet to the clinic, visit with the vet and then return home in order to become familiar with the environment under circumstances that do not require shots or other procedures that may stress the pet.

Lawless said she also offers “Cat Clipnosis,” which teaches owners how to naturally relax their cats to reduce stress and make them easier to handle when giving medications, clipping nails or grooming them.

“My goal is not only to make sure pets are cared for medically, but their lives and the lives of their owners are as happy and stress free as possible,” said Lawless.

Lawless is a 1989 graduate of Copley High School and received her veterinarian degree from The Ohio State University. She moved back to Copley in 2011.

Pet Vet will be participating in the Copley Creekside Farmers’ Market’s Dog Days Aug. 28.

“We will be handing out information, raffling off pet baskets with lots of goodies, offering pet microchipping for a reduced price of $25 [the regular price is $35 plus exam fee] and doing clicker demonstrations.”

Appointments at Pet Vet are suggested, but walk-ins are welcome. To make an appointment, call 330-576-3095.

Business hours are Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pet Vet is closed Thursdays.

Editor’s note: Advertiser features appearing in the West Side Leader are provided as a service to the advertiser and our readers. They do not serve as an endorsement of any company, person, product or service. All information contained in these features comes directly from interviews with company owners or their representatives and from additional materials provided by them.

Got a pet? Former Veterinarian Charles Danten says he or she is probably unhealthy and definitely unhappy. Perhaps that smile you see on your pet’s face is actually a grimace.

Slaves of our Affection, subtitled The Myth of the Happy Pet, exposes the dark and disastrous underbelly of the pet world. And it ain’t pretty.

Every pet owner should read this book. And if you are thinking about getting a pet, read this book first. But it won’t be an easy read. Troubling, is more like it. Genetic illnesses caused by pure breeding, anatomical abnormalities in the chapter “Pet Frankensteins”, all the bad results caused by captivity, horrible pet foods (turns out our pets are eating someone else’s pets), and even an expose’ of veterinarians (Danten was one), will have you staring into your pet’s face wondering what you have done to him or her. And if he or she can ever forgive you.

Linda and I have had two dogs in our 35 years of marriage. The first was a combination Irish Setter and Golden Retriever, a gorgeous red dog who, much to my disappointment, had no interest in hunting but who loved our children. Ok, he did freak out during thunder storms. A storm blew through one time when we were away, and when we got home, Riley had chewed his way right through two doors trying to get out.

Our next dog was a Chesapeake Bay Retriever. Ok, he was my dog, a duck hunting machine who gave me much pleasure throughout his brief 10 years of life. We had to have him put down when his hips failed. Outside the vet’s office, I was wailing in grief, until the vet came out and assured me I’d done the right thing. I still cried all the way home.

Linda was not so much overcome with grief. Blake was a terror outside the duck blind. He’d leap up and knock visitors down, mess all over the house, rip and tear at our furniture – until finally Linda insisted that he reside in a dog house in the back yard. I turned an old chicken coop into Blake’s comfortable home, with a large screened-in area outside. According to Danten, this was not sufficient.

Linda loves cats. I pretend to hate them. Sometimes I’m not pretending. They are relatively self-sufficient, and good mousers, but when we are away from more than a couple of days, we have to ask our neighbor to come by and care for them. Our current almost 100 percent coon cat, Wyatt, obtained at a local animal shelter, starts howling at 4 am every morning, and really ratchets it up if he hears us moving in the bedroom.

On the other hand, Wyatt and I have a morning ritual. I kneel at the fridge, he trots over, and we enjoy a petting session. It’s my only concession to what otherwise is a very annoying animal.

I was intrigued by Danten’s chapter on pet food. “The quality of ingredients used in pet food is very much inferior to the quality of our food, and the industrial processing that the ingredients undergo only further degrades their nutritional value,” reports Danten. “This explains the very high frequency of diet-associated diseases and clearly demonstrates that it is not possible to produce a commercial pet food with the nutritional value and health-promoting qualities of an animal’s natural diet.”

Wyatt has special dietary needs and Linda has been purchasing an expensive cat food produced by Hills. So I was shocked to read Danten’s diatribe against Hills, a division of Colgate-Palmolive.

The chapter on exotic and wild animals particularly interested me, because Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife – which bears the responsibility for governing and licensing these animals in our state – has been struggling for two years to create a new body of laws and rules to get on top of the growing problem of exotic animals in Maine.

“Each year, Honduras, Columbia, El Salvador, and Costa Rica export more than 2.5 million reptiles to the United States, of which 1.5 million are Green iguanas,” reports Danten. “100,000 pythons are exported each year from Togo… The states of Louisiana and Florida export yearly to Europe more than eight million aquatic turtles, such as Red-eared sliders.” And there’s more – lots more.

Maine allowed Red-eared sliders to be owned in our state, thinking they could not live here in the wild. Big mistake. They have now established themselves in the wild, negatively impacting our native species.

Danten estimates that 1000 pounds of cyanide – enough to kill 500 million people – has been poured on the reefs in the Philippines, Indonesia, and elsewhere in south-eastern Asia, to paralyze and capture fish and seahorses for the aquarium trade.

Well, there are astonishing revelations in every chapter of this book. I was especially surprised by Danten’s claim that a single rabies shot should be sufficient for the lifetime of dogs or cats. Maine requires them every other year.

I’m going to try to get Linda to read this book. But I am pretty sure Wyatt is here to stay.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) — Comic strips and internet memes have made the “fat cat” a desirable pet, but obesity in cats in a very serious disease.

Obesity can lead to some major problems according to the American Association of Feline Practitioners. Obesity is linked to diabetes, liver and heart disease, and arthritis.

If you are concerned about your cat’s weight, your first stop should be to your veterinarian. Your cat’s veterinarian will be able to help you put a plan in place so the weight loss will be in done in a safe manner.

The first thing to consider is your cat’s diet. The type of food you are using and how much you are feeding your cat can all lead to obesity. Be honest with your veterinarian about what treats you are giving your cat, and don’t forget to mention table scraps from your plate as well.

The second thing to consider is exercise. Indoor cats are not known for being active, so you must be proactive in getting them to move around.

Spend extra time playing with your cat every day; have them chase a laser pointer or a jingle ball.

This week’s adoptable pet of the week is Jasper. He’s a 12-14 week old tuxedo. Jasper is fun and playful, and he loves being the life of the party. He is already wearing his best tuxedo and is ready to find his forever home today.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) — Comic strips and internet memes have made the “fat cat” a desirable pet, but obesity in cats in a very serious disease.

Obesity can lead to some major problems according to the American Association of Feline Practitioners. Obesity is linked to diabetes, liver and heart disease, and arthritis.

If you are concerned about your cat’s weight, your first stop should be to your veterinarian. Your cat’s veterinarian will be able to help you put a plan in place so the weight loss will be in done in a safe manner.

The first thing to consider is your cat’s diet. The type of food you are using and how much you are feeding your cat can all lead to obesity. Be honest with your veterinarian about what treats you are giving your cat, and don’t forget to mention table scraps from your plate as well.

The second thing to consider is exercise. Indoor cats are not known for being active, so you must be proactive in getting them to move around.

Spend extra time playing with your cat every day; have them chase a laser pointer or a jingle ball.

This week’s adoptable pet of the week is Jasper. He’s a 12-14 week old tuxedo. Jasper is fun and playful, and he loves being the life of the party. He is already wearing his best tuxedo and is ready to find his forever home today.

A TOOWOOMBA veterinarian is urging all pet owners to be aware of the potential harmful effects dental disease can have on their animals.

Dr Paul Sheedy from The Toowoomba Veterinary Hospital said that four out of five dogs and cats over the age of three years have some sort of dental disease, which may go unnoticed by their owners.

August is Pet Dental Month, an initiative of the Australian Veterinary Association and the aim of the campaign is to educate pet owners about the benefits of annual dental health checks and regular tooth brushing.

“Pets often won’t show pain. Even pets with sore gums, infected mouths and broken teeth will continue to eat so owners may not see any problems,” Dr Sheedy said.

So how can you tell if your dog or cat has a toothache?

“Your pet’s breath should not smell bad. Bad breath is a sign of infection. Gums may be red and inflamed and the teeth stained with tartar or they may start dropping food.

“Annual dental health checks are an ideal opportunity for owners to find out if their pet has existing problems which have gone unnoticed. Dental health checks also help ensure bacteria and poisons from dental infections do not spread to the heart, liver and kidneys through the blood stream.

“We also recommend regular tooth brushing and many cats and dogs can be trained to enjoy having their teeth brushed, especially if you start at an early age.”

Dr Sheedy said about 80% of adult animals have some degree of dental disease, which becomes more severe with age.

The Toowoomba Veterinary Hospital offers free dental checks for all animals throughout the year.

If you would like to have the teeth of your animal checked, contact The Toowoomba Veterinary Hospital on 46328333 to make an appointment.

I Say ‘Gross.’ They Say ‘Cool.’

By “it,” I mean the pile of pet vomit, which on closer inspection, turned out to include a number of small, rice-sized worms. Still wiggling.

It didn’t occur to me at the time to appreciate the wonder of a world in which live worms could live in a pet’s stomach. I was thinking of more mundane things: the health of the pet whose stomach had so recently contained these creatures; the veterinarian visits that clearly lay in the future; the time those visits would take from work; the possible need to take the cat who would first need to be caught, and who would invariably throw up (more worms?) in the car.

There was no obvious way to identify the patient among our two cats and two dogs. Ours are indoor cats, but they often find and eat what I assume are indoor/outdoor mice. Our dogs are essentially (on our property) free-range. All four, the vet said, would need treatment and, because they hadn’t been in lately, the cats would indeed need to make an appearance in the office.

So I located, with some difficulty, two cat carriers (it’s not fair to put the cat who doesn’t get carsick in a carrier with the messy one). I put the vomit in a baggie. Then I enlisted my own two 8-year-olds and their sleepover guest, also 8, to capture the cats, put them in the carriers and accompany me to the vet.

I soon realized there was no one I could have have invited to accompany me who would have enjoyed it more. A baggie of vomit? Cool! With worms? Where? Where? I see one!

They carried the cats. They chatted up the vet techs and the neighbor in the waiting room. They displayed the wormy vomit to all and sundry — because really, who would not want to see our wormy vomit?

It was not the way I intended to spend my morning. But it turned out to be hard not to enjoy it too. The cats and dogs will all be fine. The bill was not ruinous. Everyone got to use the vet’s stethoscope to listen to everyone else’s heart. And I got a little reminder that when life gives you wormy pet vomit, you can make … wormy pet vomit. And then you can call it cool.